The Road to Le Mans

[Vixen]

It's that time again.

The 84th running of the famous 24 hours of Le Mans takes place next weekend.  Every year, we make our annual pilgrimage to Le Sarthe to appease the Gods of Speed and Noise. This will me our 23rd visit. We will have attended over a quarter of all the Le Mans races ever run. In the week after the race, we loose ourselves deep in rural France, and pay our respects to those other equally important deities, the Gods of Wine and Smelly Cheese.

We set off for this incredible race, first thing tomorrow morning on the Portsmouth to Caen car ferry. Provided the French port workers don't go on strike again. We have a campsite right in the centre of the circuit. Night time qualifying takes place tomorrow night, every driver must complete a minimum of five laps at night. Imagine that, 200MPH down the Mulsanne Straight with only your headlights to guide the way. Race qualifying proper takes place on Thursday evening before dusk. The race itself starts at 3'oclock in the afternoon on Saturday and continues non stop through the night and the next day finishing on Sunday afternoon. Then the party starts.

Who cannot remember that epic movie of the same name staring the Gulf Porsche 917's and the red Farrari's and of course Steve McQueen. An epic battle between two motor racing giants, fought out for the full 24 hours


This year promises to be another epic battle.  Porsche are there again, this time taking on the might of Audi and Toyota.

You don't go to watch the race, you go to be a part of the race.

Mike

[scc]

A colleage at work has sailed from Newhaven tonight. I do not know where he will be camped, but he has not stopped talking about it for weeks. He has been several times before and has gone equipped for partying    Enjoy your trip..............Terry

[sco]

Hope you have a great time Mike, best wishes,

Simon.

[Tennessee Whiskey]

As we rednecks had to be taught to say : " LeMawn"  a true testament to automotive engineering  and a true test of man and machine.  Camping infield is something even Nascar fans do and it's a boon  . Please pretty please,  send back pics,  infield and all 

Cletus

[Jo]

This year promises to be another epic battle.  Porsche are there again, this time taking on the might of Audi and Toyota.

You don't go to watch the race, you go to be a part of the race.

Mike

Yes when I went I was a guest of the Porsche Team they are a great bunch It was all very enjoyable, as was the Loire Valley 

However some of us have still to prepare their engines for the Guildford show. See you there   

Jo

[Vixen]

As we rednecks had to be taught to say : " LeMawn"  a true testament to automotive engineering  and a true test of man and machine.  Camping infield is something even Nascar fans do and it's a boon. 
Cletus

LeMawn is also a test of endurance for us the spectators. It is no coincidence that there are 24 bottles in a case of beer and there are 24 hours of racing.


If you don't like the beer, there is no need to complain, you can always wine a little (and often).
   

If you drift off to sleep after all that consumption, you will soon be awoken to a symphony of 52 race engines going full bore through the night.

Photos, of course.

Mike

[Tennessee Whiskey]

Since I'm still only dreaming of one day being in the infield : what is the beer per lap ratio? 

Cletus

P.S. metric or old money, I've drank both 

[Vixen]

Typically it is 3 :30 minutes for the 13.629 km (8.47 mile) lap.
They need to refuel every 50 minutes, so it works out to be about 16 sips of the amber nectar per hour or one sip per lap. You need to take it steady, it is endurance racing after all
 
Cheers

Mike

[Tennessee Whiskey]

Great stats. In the infield or cockpit, there are many that start with a charge, but, only a few that finish that way 

[Lew Hartswick]

Back years ago when  was a "Sports Car" nut I would have loved to go to LeMans or even better the Nurberg Ring but now I have settled on F1 racing and TV coverage. :-)  And since I'm house-sitting without Direct TV I don't even know what happened at the Canadian GP . :-(   have seen a U-tub bit on the Monaco one.
   ..lew... PS anyone remember the MM in Italy or all you too young even have heard of it??  :-)
   ...lew...

[Jasonb]

Enjoy yourself Mike

One of my clients is going down, hopes to take the DB2-4 MkIII convertable this year though he does not usually slum it in a tent!

[tangler]

We drove down to Andorra a few years ago.  Just south of Le Mans city the road verges got wide, then 3 levels of armco appeared and enormous seas of gravel.  It slowly dawned that we were on the Mulsanne straight stuck behind a Lada doing 35 mph.

Have great time,

Rod

[bp]

I used to enjoy motor bike endurance racing.  The 24 hour race at Le Mans used to be, probably still is, The Bol d'Or.  Really spectacular, especially in those days the flat out right hander after the pits.  The 24 hour party, the food stands, the people all having a ball.  Obviously there was a bit of drinking involved.  The rain and who gives a damn!!
Great times.
cheers
Bill

[Art K]

Mike,
I've got to admit that I have the movie Le Mons. Great racing movie. Have a blast.
Art

[Jasonb]

Watched a bit of qualifying last night, all seemed to want to get some laps in as the weather forcast does not look too good for the comming days so could be iffy for the other qualifying sessions and the race. Mike I hope your tend don't leak